STAND. COM. REP. NO. 127

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: H.B. No. 723

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Pandemic & Disaster Preparedness and Economic Development, to which was referred H.B. No. 723 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PANDEMIC RESPONSE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize the use of funds received from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act for the purchase and distribution of personal protective equipment and industrial hygiene projects to state departments.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Department of Budget and Finance, Department of Transportation, Department of Education, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, State Procurement Office, Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, Hawaii Primary Care Association, and one individual.

Your Committees find that the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) provided necessary financial support to the State to help with purchasing essential goods, such as personal protective equipment. Your Committees note the importance of personal protective equipment in reducing the spread of the coronavirus and believes that industrial hygiene products also play an important role in addressing the pandemic. This measure will help combat the pandemic by allowing funds received through the CARES Act to purchase industrial hygiene products and include all state departments as eligible recipients of personal protective equipment and industrial hygiene products.

Your Committees note that when Senate Bill No. 126, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, C.D. 1, passed the Legislature, which later became Act 9, Session Laws of Hawaii 2020 (Act 9), it included an appropriation of $100,000,000 to purchase and distribute personal protective equipment. However, prior to becoming Act 9, the Governor executed a line item veto to decrease the $100,000,000 to $61,000,000. This measure reflects the line item veto amount of $61,000,000.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Pandemic & Disaster Preparedness and Economic Development that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 723, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 723, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Pandemic & Disaster Preparedness and Economic Development,

____________________________ SEAN QUINLAN, Chair

____________________________ LINDA ICHIYAMA, Chair